James Gray wants more time to research issue

A newly-elected New Orleans city councilman, whose district includes the Lower 9th Ward, has withdrawn a package of ordinances that would have required tour buses to pay special fees to access the neighborhood.

Some New Orleans residents and elected officials are pushing back against tour operators who send out-of-towners into the city's Lower 9th Ward, where Hurricane Katrina unleashed a wall of water that pushed homes off foundations and stranded residents on rooftops when the levees failed.

Councilman James Gray, who took office last month, says he needs more time to research the issue introduced by his predecessor.

Currently, the city has an ordinance in place that bans tour buses from the Lower 9th Ward. It was passed after Hurricane Katrina to keep tour buses from impeding cleanup and recovery efforts when levees failed during the 2005 storm.

The tours were popular with tourists wanting an up-close look at actor Brad Pitt's rebuilding effort and the home of Fats Domino, but tours halted this past summer when buses were being stopped and ticketed.

An Iranian military observation aircraft flew within 50 yards of an armed U.S. Navy helicopter over the Persian Gulf this month, sparking concern that top Iranian commanders might not be in full control of local forces, CNN has learned.